This invention relates to processor apparatus for processing and developing, on a substantially continuous basis, dry silver film of a conventional type.
Underground exploration for petroleum or mineral sources utilizes a process known as well-logging in which a hole or bore is drilled downwardly in the earth and then sensors of various types are lowered into the hole to detect characteristic of the subsurface strata. Data or information from the sensors are transmitted up through the cable holding the sensors to the surface where records may be made of the information for later interpretation and analysis. Advantageously, the data received from the sensors is recorded in real time so that on-the-spot examination can be made and modification of drilling procedures carried out in case the data dictates such modification.
Perhaps the most common method of recording such data is by use of so-called pen recorders which typically consist of mechanical styli or pens which move back and forth across the surface of chart paper which itself is moving in a direction generally perpendicular to the movement of the styli. As the styli move across the paper, they record on the paper traces whose position along the length of the trace is proportional to the outputs of the sensors. Because such recorders require mechanical placement of the data on the recording paper, the versatility of the recorder is limited as to accuracy, speed of operation (both of the styli and the chart paper), and reliability and life of the recorder parts.
Because of the drawbacks of pen recorders, systems have been proposed in which data from the sensors is displayed on a cathode ray tube or other visual display device and then some type of film is exposed to the face of the cathode ray tube to make a permanent record of the data. So-called wet film is typically used in which case the film is first exposed and then, at a subsequent time, processed or developed to provide the desired record. The disadvantage of this process is that the record is not immediately available for inspection to the system users.
It would be desirable to have a data recording system in which the disadvantages of the prior art mechanical pen recorders are avoided and yet in which the data is made available immediately to the user. This would mean that whatever film is used for recording the images produced by the cathode ray tube or other type of video display device would be processed at substantially the same time as the data is received from the underground sensors. Because the rate of receipt of such data may vary depending, for example, on the rate at which the sensors are lowered into or raised from the drill hole, it would be necessary that the processing of the film somehow accommodate the varying rate at which the data were received.
Dry silver film is a type of film which might be advantageously used in a real time recorder since the film may be developed by subjecting it to a certain range of temperatures. Such film does not require the chemical processing needed for wet film and therefore appears to offer advantages in simplicity not present with wet film.